Equestria Girls: Applejack's Secret
by darkshadow051
Summary: Applejack is hiding something. She leaves town almost every weekend without telling anyone where she really goes, not even her family. However, she has a lot of money that she can freely spend. Curiosity getting the better of them, Sunset Shimmer and her friends decide to follow her to see what Applejack's up to. What they find will shock them beyond their wildest dreams.
1. Chapter 1

It was another beautiful day at Canterlot High School. The sun was slowly making its way into the clear morning sky as the students began to converge to the main entrance of the school. It was Friday, the last day before their two days of freedom from books, homework, and annoying teachers. So, many of the students were relieved about that.

As the students began walking about the halls of the school, either to get to class or to go to their lockers to gather their necessary supplies, the Principal's voice came on over the loudspeaker.

"Good morning, students, and happy Friday," Principal Celestia's voice echoed throughout the building, "Just a reminder that the 'drama club' will be meeting in the auditorium at three o'clock today. All students who are interested in auditioning for this year's school play should report there right after school."

As the rest of the morning announcements went on, Sunset Shimmer was making her way through the school with one of her friends, Fluttershy, besides her.

"Thank you so much for helping me at the animal shelter this weekend," said Fluttershy, her voice soft and meek, "We just got a new batch of baby kittens and we're going to need all the help that we can get."

"No problem, Fluttershy," said Sunset Shimmer, "What are friends for, right?"

It was hard to believe that it was only four months since the school was visited by a "princess from another world" who had taught all of them the true meaning of friendship. Since then, the once bitter and vengeful Sunset Shimmer had turned over a new leaf and became more friendly and likeable amongst her peers. Also, she became really close with the friends that Twilight Sparkle had said would help her understand friendship even more.

As the two of them walked down the halls together, they passed by Applejack, who was putting some book into her locker. When she saw the two of them approaching, she smiled and waved to them.

"Hey Fluttershy," she called to them, "Hey Sunset!"

"Hi, Applejack," said Fluttershy as she offered a small wave to her.

"What's up, Applejack?" asked Sunset Shimmer as she offered a high-five to her.

Returning the gesture, Applejack said, "Ah have some great news to tell ya at lunch!"

"Really?" the timid girl asked.

"You betcha!" the cowgirl said, "Ya'll are gonna be so surprised!"

"A SURPRISE!?" a voice came out of nowhere, causing Applejack to jump and drop her books. Fluttershy let out a small "Eep" as she ducked behind the light amber girl, who had also jumped in surprise.

They all turned to Applejack's open locker to see Pinkie Pie's head sticking out of it, a huge grin across her face. As the three friends tried to regain their composure, the pink girl jumped out of the locker and kicked it closed with the back of her foot.

"Pinkie," said a startled AJ, "Why were you...?"

"I know," said Pinkie as she pointed a thumb at the locker, "You _really_ need to clean that out. There are way too many books in there. Anyway, I can't wait to hear all about the surprise!"

With that, the pink haired party girl skipped off down the hall, a huge grin on her face. As they watched, Sunset Shimmer let out a sigh and said, "I don't think I'll ever get used to her antics."

Confused, Applejack shook her head and turned to the others. "Like ah was sayin', I have a big surprise for all of ya. Ah'll tell ya all 'bout it at lunch with the other girls."

Before any of them could say anything, the first bell for the morning rang, signaling that it was almost time for class.

"Okay," said Sunset Shimmer as she began making her way down the hall, "I can't wait."

"Me neither," said Fluttershy, "See you girls then."

As the two girls made their way down the hall, Applejack stood there for a few seconds, waving at them as they left. When the two of them turned the corner and were out of sight, Applejack let out a small sigh and lowered her head.

_Ah wish it didn't hafta be this way_, she thought as she began picking up the books she had dropped. _Ah wanna enjoy today, but ah can't stop thinkin' 'bout tomorrow._

With her books in her hands, she adjusted her Stetson and let out one last sigh before making her way down the hall to her first class.

* * *

A few hours later, the bell rang for the students to make their way to their next class. However, for a certain group of friends, it meant that it was time for their lunch period.

Rarity and Sunset Shimmer, who had the same class the previous period, walked into the cafeteria together, going directly to the lunch line to get their food.

"I'm telling you, darling," Rarity said with a smile, "It's a gorgeous place to work. The pay is really good and you don't have to know anything about fashion to apply."

"I don't know," Sunset Shimmer said, scratching the back of her head, "I just don't see _me_ working in a place like _that_."

"Well, it's just a suggestion, is all. I just thought it would be good for you. Besides, it's a great way to make new friends outside of school."

"I'll think about it."

When they got their sustenance, they turned and began making their way through the crowded room. Some students were reading books and doing homework while they ate while others were looking through magazines or prepping the instruments that they had. Others were practicing for their auditions for the drama club and some were innocently chatting with one another.

As the two of them weaved their way through the crowded room, they saw Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie sitting together at a table in the back, obviously waiting for them. As they got closer, they heard the two of them engaged in some sort of conversation.

"And that's what I plan to do!" Pinkie said, "So, what do you think?"

Rainbow had a confused look on her face. "Uh, Pinkie," she said, raising an eyebrow, "You didn't say _anything_. You just sat down and said, 'that's what you plan to do'."

The pink girl blinked twice in surprise and said, "Oh".

Tapping her finger against her chin, she looked up to the ceiling as if she was thinking really hard about something. Then, she looked at Rainbow and asked, "But it was still a good plan though, right?"

The cyan athlete slammed her palm against her forehead in response.

When Rarity and Sunset Shimmer sat down, the four of them began to eat their lunch. It wasn't long until Fluttershy joined them with Applejack not too far behind.

With all of her friends present, Applejack smiled and said, "Girls, ah have a big surprise for all of ya!"

"Ooh! Ooh!" said Pinkie as she began bouncing up and down in her seat, "What is it? What is it? Did you find a way to open that window-thing so we can see Twilight again?"

Applejack blinked in surprise. Then, she looked flatly at her and responded with a simple, "No."

"Aww, bummer!" she said as she rested her head on the table, a saddened look on her face. Not even a second went by before she livened up again. "Well, what's the surprise then? Tell us, tell us!"

Clearing her throat, the light-orange girl said, "Well, the weekend is here and I thought, what better way to celebrate than with a girl's night out? So, I was thinking the six of us could go to that new movie theater that opened last week after school. Then, we can go to that restaurant across the street afterwards."

All of them beamed in excitement at the thought of their special outing that night; all of them except Rarity, who had a look of concern on her face.

"Applejack, darling," she said, "I do appreciate the gesture, but those places are very expensive! I don't think I have enough to..."

"Don't you worry yer pretty head about price," she said, offering her a wink, "Ah'll pay for all of us!"

The excitement in all of their faces began to turn into looks of surprise at her statement.

Crossing her arms, Rainbow Dash asked, "And how exactly do you plan on paying for _all _of us?"

Raising an eyebrow, Applejack asked, "What do you mean? I have enough money to take all of you. Ah wouldn't be offerin' if ah didn't!"

"How is it that you have so much money that you can spend?"

Applejack felt her heart skip a beat as she fished her mind for an answer. Although this wasn't the first time she was asked this, she always found it hard to answer whenever she was.

"It doesn't matter how", she said "All that matters is that I have the money and I want to spend it on all of us."

"Um, Applejack," said Fluttershy, "Is it possible that we can make it for tomorrow instead of tonight? I'm a little busy this afternoon and I don't know if I'll be able to make it."

A quick look of guilt came across her face as she looked down at the ground. Then, she turned to her friend and said, "I can't. I...I have to leave town this weekend."

"Again?" asked Rarity.

"Yeah," said Applejack as she let out a sigh, "Again."

"If you don't mind me asking, where exactly do you go, darling?"

Applejack's heart began to speed up again; this was the first time she was asked this from her friends. Therefore, she didn't have an answer ready for them. They knew that she left on certain weekends, but they never seemed to question where she went or why. Why did they all of a sudden wonder where she was going now?

She quickly fished her mind for something to say, taking off her brown hat to scratch the back of her head. Then, an idea came to mind, causing her to flash a quick smile and put her hat back on her head.

"Ah hafta get some supplies for mah family...supplies that they don't sell in town."

Then, she went to take a drink of her juice, only to realize that she had forgotten to get one when she got her lunch. Before any of them could say anything else, she told them she was going to get a drink, got up and walked away. As she did, the five of them noticed that she was walking with her head hanging low, looking like she was upset about something.

When she was out of earshot, which was easy since the cafeteria was loud to begin with, Rarity leaned in and said, "As much as I despise talking about people behind their backs, I must say that Applejack is up to something."

"I agree," said Rainbow as she crossed her arms, "Where is she getting so much money that she can throw around?"

"Was she always like this?" asked Sunset Shimmer. Since she wasn't really Applejack's friend for very long, she was the only one who didn't know about her strange disappearances.

"Sort of," chimed in Fluttershy, her voice barely audible to the others, "She was like this for a little while in the beginning of the year, but not as much. She used to leave once or twice a month, but now it seems likes she's leaving every week."

"If you ask me, I think she's hiding something!" said Pinkie, pointing in the direction AJ went.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You don't say, Pinkie," she said flatly, sarcasm clearly present in her voice.

"I _do _say," she replied. Then, she pulled out a pair of binoculars from her puffy pink hair and looked at Applejack, who was standing in the lunch line with a drink in her hands. "Just look at her, standing in line with that juice container in her hands! She looks so suspicious!"

"Pinkie, she's just buying a drink," said Sunset, "Besides, we can see her too, you know. You don't really need binocu-..."

"Yeah, but it's the _suspicious _way she's buying a drink," interrupted Pinkie, lowering the binoculars, "I think we should keep an eye on her."

"I don't know about that, Pinkie," said Fluttershy, "I don't think she'd appreciate us snooping into her personal business like that."

"I agree with Fluttershy," said Rarity, "Besides, I wouldn't stoop down to a low like that."

"Maybe you won't, but I will," said Rainbow Dash, "I'm with Pinkie Pie on this one. I think we should keep an eye on her, just to see what she's up to."

"Well, I'm with Fluttershy," the fashionista said, "I think we should stay out of her business."

"Yeah, well, I bet Sunset Shimmer is with me on this, right Sunset?"

She just sat there, staring blankly at the four friends before her. Sunset Shimmer shifted her eyes back and forth, trying desperately to come up with an answer. Sure, she wanted to find out what Applejack was up to, but she didn't want to stick her nose where it didn't belong either.

Well...I...uh..." she stuttered. Then, much to her relief, Applejack returned with her drink in her hand. As she sat down, she stuck the straw into the container and took a swig of her drink, licking her lips when she was done.

"I'll get back to you girls on that," Sunset said, trying to keep her answer as vague as possible. Luckily, Applejack didn't catch on.

"Well, whaddaya say, girls?" she asked, "You up for a little girls' night out tonight?"

"Sure, why not?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Okie-dokie-lokie!" said Pinkie.

"Very well," said Rarity as she flicked her hair.

"I'll see if I'm not too busy," said Fluttershy, "I'll have to get back to you later."

Sunset Shimmer only nodded to her.

Applejack flashed a smile to them as she began to eat her lunch.

* * *

_Riiiiiiiiiing_

"Have a nice day, students," said the teacher as the class got up and began to head out. It was time for the students to make their way to the last period of the day and many of them were excited about that.

Sunset Shimmer walked down the hall, her mind racing with the conversation from earlier. Although she wanted to find out what Applejack was hiding from all of them, she knew that it was wrong to stick her nose into other people's business. As that thought ran through her mind, she let out a tiny scoff; if this was before Twilight's visit, she wouldn't have any problem getting into another person's personal life. However, she knew that if this was back then, she would only do it to destroy him or her, not to help.

As she turned the corner, she caught a glimpse of Big Macintosh putting some books into his locker. She stopped walking when she saw him, a thought coming across her mind.

_Maybe Applejack is telling the truth_, she thought to herself. _It won't hurt to confirm her story with her older brother._

Nodding to herself, she walked over to him and said, "Excuse me, Big Macintosh. Can I ask you something?"

"Eeyup," he said as he closed the locker door.

"Well, you see, it's about your sister," she said, an unsure look on her face.

As if on cue, an orange girl on a scooter rolled by, her two friends following close behind. When Big Macintosh saw his younger sister, he called out to her.

"Yes?" she asked with a smile.

"It seems Sunset Shimmer has something to say about you," said Big Mac as he crossed his arms, a look of disappointment on his face.

"Uh-oh," said Apple Bloom, "What did ah do now?"

Sunset Shimmer face-palmed herself; how could she forget that Big Mac had _two_ sisters and that both of them were in the same school?

A weary smile came across her face. "Actually, I was talking about Applejack."

"Oh," he said, unfolding his arms. He directed his attention back to Apple Bloom. "Sorry 'bout that, sis."

"It's okay," she said, "What's wrong with Applejack?"

"Well, the thing is," said Sunset, "Applejack told us that she was going away this weekend and I was wondering if you two knew anything about it."

Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom gave each other a surprised glance. Then, they both looked at Sunset Shimmer and asked in unison, "Again?"

Sunset blinked in surprise. "You mean you two didn't know?"

"We know she goes away on certain weekends," said Big Mac, "But we didn't know she was leavin' _this _weekend. Ah'm pretty she woulda told us later, though."

"Do you know where she goes?"

"A little," said Apple Bloom, "She says she leaves to meet up with some outta-town friends or somethin'. That's 'bout it, though. Sorry."

"It's okay. It came up at lunch and I was just curious."

"Well, ah better get goin' before ah'm late," said Big Mac, "See ya 'round."

"Me too," said Apple Bloom as she turned and began running down the hall, "See ya later!"

Sunset Shimmer bid the two farewell and began making her way to her own class.

'_Out-of-town friends'?_ Sunset Shimmer thought. _I thought she was leaving for 'supplies'. Looks like she's telling us one thing and telling her family another, but the question is why._

She entered her classroom and sat down just as the bell rang. _One thing's absolutely sure_, she thought. _Applejack is hiding something, something she doesn't even want her family to know._

* * *

It wasn't long before the last bell rang and the students of Canterlot High were free from school for the next two days. Although most of the students were walking home, there were those who drove, so they made their way to the school's parking lot.

Sunset Shimmer walked over to her car, pulling out her keys from her pocket as she did. However, her attention was quickly sidetracked when she saw Applejack heading towards her truck, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom not too far behind. However, what caught her attention was the look of worry on the cowgirl's face. Quickly, she checked her surroundings to make sure none of the other girls were around. Then, she made her way to her, calling out to her when she did.

"Applejack!" she shouted, catching her attention. When she caught up to her, she put her keys in her jacket pocket and asked, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The light-orange girl could feel an uncomfortable chill run up her spine as she asked the question. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Apple Bloom and Big Mac standing there, both with a confused look on her face.

She turned to face them and said, "It's fine, ya'll. Ah'll be right there."

The two of them exchanged confused glances before getting inside the truck. Then, Applejack turned to face Sunset Shimmer and asked, "What's up?"

"Well, I wanted to talk to you in private to ask you something," she said, crossing her arms across her chest, "Where exactly do you go?"

Putting her hand on her hips, Applejack said, "Ah already told ya, ah leave ta get some supplies outta town."

"Uh-huh," said Sunset, narrowing her eyes at her, "What kind of supplies?"

Once again, Applejack was taken off guard. She began looking at the ground, her eyes shifting back and forth as she bit her lower lip. Seeing this reaction, Sunset Shimmer simply raised an eyebrow.

Then, Applejack blurted out, "What difference does it make what supplies? All you need ta know is that I hafta leave town for 'em! That's it, end of story."

Letting out a small laugh, she said, "You know, you're very secretive for something as trivial as getting 'supplies'. I'm pretty sure your family would be willing to tell me all about where you go. Maybe we should go talk to them about it."

In a flash, AJ turned to her with an angry expression on her face. She pointed a finger at her and shouted, "Don't you DARE!"

Sunset Shimmer took a few steps back, her eyes wide and her hands up in surrender; she had never seen Applejack get this angry before, not to her or anybody. "Geez. Sorry, okay. I didn't know it was that big a deal."

Applejack inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying to calm herself down. Then, she said, "No, ah'm the one who should be sorry. Ah shouldn't have snapped at ya like that. It's just that...well..."

Lowering her hands, she could see that, whatever it was that Applejack was hiding, it was bothering her deeply. By the looks of it, the blonde-haired girl was on the verge of crying. However, she took another deep breath to regain her composure.

"It's nothing, honest," she quickly replied, "Just don't worry yerself about it."

With that, Applejack turned to get into the truck. Before she did, she turned to Sunset Shimmer once more and asked, "See you tonight?"

She smiled at her and said, "Sure."

Then, she got into the truck. A few seconds went by before the truck began to back out of the parking spot. Sunset quickly waved goodbye to Applejack as it began to pull away. She turned and began making her way to her own car, taking the keys out of her pocket again.

_Whatever it is that Applejack's hiding, it seems to be affecting her badly_, she thought as she unlocked the car and opened the door. _I hate to say it, but there's only one way we're going to get to the bottom of this, and that's by seeing where she goes._


	2. Chapter 2

"This is so uncouth," said Rarity, a look of disapproval on her face, "I simply _cannot_ believe I let you talk me into doing this."

"Get real, Rare's," said Rainbow Dash from behind her, "We didn't _force_ you to do this, you know! You could have said no, but you didn't. Just admit it; you're just as curious as we are to find out what Applejack is up to! Besides, you're the only one with a car big enough to fit all of us in."

"Be that as it may, I still find this behavior atrocious!"

It was Saturday evening now, 5:37 to be exact (according to the car's clock). The five girls found themselves crammed into Rarity's white sedan with the fashionista at the wheel, Sunset Shimmer riding shotgun, and the others stuffed in the back. Earlier that day, Sunset had told the others about what Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom had told her about Applejack. When the two stories that the cowgirl told them didn't connect, she had agreed to follow Applejack to see where she went, much to Rarity's disapproval.

They waited on the side of a street corner in the suburban part of town, overlooking a certain house on the street. The high-ranch house looked like every other house on the street, except this house was white, had a red door, and green shutters on the windows. What made this house more important than the others was the old truck that sat in the driveway. It seemed a little out of place for a worn-down truck to be parked outside of the refurbished home, but they figured Applejack and her family had their reasons for keeping it instead of getting a new one.

"Are you sure she's going to be leaving around now?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"Of course I'm sure," Rainbow answered, "When I went over to her house at a quarter past 6, the truck was gone and her family said that she had left."

"Well, I do hope she comes out soon," said Rarity, "We've been waiting her for thirty-seven min-"

"THIRTY-EIGHT!" shouted Pinkie as she leaned forward from the back and pointed at the clock, "It just changed!"

"Thirty-_eight _minutes," the fashionista said with an eye roll, "There's still no sign of her leaving."

"Pinkie, will you please sit down!" Rainbow said in anger, "It's hard enough that the three of us are stuffed back here without you jumping around and making it more uncomfortable."

The party girl sat back in her seat, an innocent smile on her face.

"I hope the animal shelter won't be too mad at us for cancelling at the last minute," said Fluttershy, guilt in her tone.

"I'm sure they'll understand," Sunset said reassuringly, "Besides, they had plenty of help without us, so they shouldn't be too upset."

Fluttershy simply responded with a head nod. After that, the five of them fell silent as they continued to watch the house and wait for Applejack to depart.

* * *

Applejack sat at her dresser, looking at herself in the mirror while brushing her blonde hair. After she was done, she put the brush down and let out a sigh, lowering her head in shame. Then, she directed her attention to the small calendar that she kept nearby.

She picked it up and flipped past the month they were in to the next one. Then, she took a red marker she had and circled the Saturday that was in the middle of the month. She put the calendar down and looked at herself in the mirror again.

_Only a few more weeks_, she told herself, trying to cheer herself up. _After that, ya won't hafta do this anymore. Ya should be able ta keep it a secret 'til then._

Unfortunately, as much as she tried to be optimistic about it, a small tear escaped her eye and managed to make its way down her cheek. Sniffling, she wiped it away with the back of her hand, knowing that crying about it now wasn't going to help her.

Grabbing her Stetson and putting it on her head, Applejack got up and left her bedroom, trying her best to put on a smile. Before she left, she grabbed a brown overcoat and held it in her arms as she closed the bedroom door behind her. She walked down the hallway and headed for the front door, making sure she had the keys to the truck in her pocket. However, as she reached out for the door knob, she heard a soft voice call her name from behind her.

"Applejack," said Apple Bloom, "Are ya leaving now?"

Letting out a sigh, Applejack said, "Yeah, ah am."

"How long are ya gonna be gone?" asked the deep voice of Big Macintosh, who took Applejack by surprise.

Turning around to face the two of them, the pale-orange girl said, "Ah should be back by tomorrow night."

"Yer gonna be gone the whole weekend again?" asked Apple Bloom, a look of shock on her face.

Applejack only nodded in response.

"When are ya gonna tell us where yer _really_ goin'?" asked Big Mac, crossing his arms.

Straightening her posture, Applejack said, "Ah thought ah already told ya! Ah'm just goin' outta town ta see some friends, that's all."

The buff young man narrowed his eyes, clearly not convinced with his sister's alibi. However, he decided to let it go; he had tried to pry it out of her many times in the past and always got the same answer.

"Are ya gonna introduce us to yer new friends some day?" asked Apple Bloom, an innocent smile on her face.

Turning around, the older sister said, "Maybe someday." Then, she said her goodbyes and went outside, closing the door behind her. As she began walking down the porch steps, she sighed to herself again.

_Ah hope you _never _hafta meet them_, she thought to herself.

Wasting no time, she got into the truck, put the overcoat on the back seat, and started the truck. Before she pulled out of the driveway, she reached under the driver's seat and took out a brown paper bag. She opened it up and poured the contents of it onto the passenger seat. One of the items in the bag brought a small flicker of a smile to her face while the other two made it vanish as quickly as it appeared.

The first item was a wad of twenty dollar bills that was rolled up and held together with a small rubber band. She remembered when there was so much more money than what was present before she had to spend most of it. Removing the rubber band, she counted all that was left: three-hundred dollars.

The second item was a small sticky note that was once attached to the wad of bills. It no longer had its adhesiveness, so it lied on the seat by itself. Applejack picked up the small paper and she read it to herself again: _Here's your cut with an added bonus. Buy yourself something nice. See you next week._

The last item was the one thing that Applejack cringed at the moment she laid eyes on it. Right now, it was rolled in a ball, its black color sticking out on the truck's seat. Applejack only stared at it for a few seconds before she quickly shoved it back into the bag, cursing herself for ever buying it in the first place.

Then, she crumpled up the note and stuffed the money in her pocket, keeping the brown bag on the seat. She gave herself one final look in the rear-view mirror and sighed one last time. Then, she put the truck in reverse, pulled out of the driveway and made her way down the road, the road she regretted going down every single week.

* * *

"She's leaving! She's leaving!" shouted Pinkie Pie, leaning forward once again and pointing to the house.

"_Eep!_" shouted Fluttershy, taken aback from Pinkie's sudden outburst. Even Sunset Shimmer, who had closed her eyes for a few moments, nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Yes, Pinkie, I can see her," said Rarity, "No need to shout in my ear."

"PINKIE PIE!" shouted Rainbow Dash, taking her by the shoulder and pulling her back into the seat.

All of them watched as Applejack got into her truck. She waited in the truck for a while before pulling out of the driveway and making her way down the road. Luckily for them, she was heading in the opposite direction from them, so they didn't have to worry about her seeing them.

When the truck was about a block away, Rarity turned her car on and began to follow, keeping an eye on Applejack as she turned onto the road.

"It's about time she left," said Rainbow as she crossed her arms, "I was starting to get bored."

"Hopefully, we'll get some answers to where she goes and why she's so keen on keeping it a secret," said Sunset Shimmer.

"Maybe," said Rarity, "So long as we keep our distance and not bring any unnecessary attention to ourselves."

The five friends fell silent as they continued to follow Applejack, who was leaving the suburbs and making her way to the city. As they weaved through the busy streets, Rarity kept a good three car lengths away from her to avoid any suspicion.

"Ooh! Ooh! I know, let's play a game while we drive!" said Pinkie, as she bounced up and down in her seat.

"What kind of game?" asked Fluttershy, an unsure look on her face.

"Let's count how many red cars we see as we drive!" she exclaimed. She looked out the window and began counting every single red car she saw, whether they were parked or on the road.

As she continued to count, it became very obvious that Pinkie was counting by herself, since none of the others bothered to chime in. Fortunately, the party girl was so wrapped up in her self-appointed game that she didn't notice the others not playing along.

Some time had passed before Applejack made her way from the city to the highway, getting on the ramp and onto the busy main road. As they followed, they kept an eye on the signs around them, making a mental note of where they were heading.

"Ooh, more cars!" shouted Pinkie Pie, "I bet I can count them all!"

The puffy-haired girl began counting every single car as Rarity slowly weaved her way through the traffic, not taking her eyes of the truck. Although some cars managed to get between her and Applejack, she wasn't too overly concerned about it; it only lessened the suspicion of them following her.

After a while, Sunset asked, "Where do you think she's going?"

"I'm not sure," said Rarity, "Hopefully not very far."

"What if she's telling the truth?" Fluttershy asked, "What if she really _is_ getting supplies, or seeing some out-of-town friends?"

"Yeah, right," said Rainbow, sarcastically, "If she was really doing that stuff, why would she tell us one thing and her family another?"

"Not to mention keeping it a secret," said Sunset, "If she was telling the truth, she wouldn't be so secretive about it."

"I know," said the timid girl, "It's just that it's not like Applejack to lie to us, that's all."

"You're right, Fluttershy," said Rarity as she put on her blinker, "Applejack _wouldn't _lie to us. Makes me wonder why we're doing this in the first place."

"If it makes you feel better," Rainbow chimed in, "We're following her to make sure she's not getting herself in any serious trouble with the wrong people."

The purple-haired girl opened her mouth and was about to come back with something, but for the first time in a while, what Rainbow Dash had said made sense. So, she closed her mouth and concentrated on her driving, keeping the truck in sight.

Silence fell upon them once again as they continued to follow their friend. They continued driving on the highway for about an hour before they saw the truck pull off at the nearest exit. Rarity followed, looking at the road signs to get a good idea to where they were heading. Although the night skies made it hard to see, she was still able to read the signs as they passed.

"Looks like we're heading to the next city over," said Rarity.

"Well, at least we now know where she's going," said Sunset Shimmer.

Some more time had passed before they entered the city that was next to theirs. As they surveyed their surroundings, all of them had shocked expressions on their faces; even Pinkie Pie, who had continued playing her "game" all this time, had fallen to silence.

Applejack appeared to be heading to the slums of the city, where a lot of the buildings and apartments were old and decrepit. Graffiti littered the walls and trash littered the ground. The apartments were all clumped together and the streets were very narrow, giving them a very claustrophobic feeling.

Fluttershy whispered to the others, "I don't like it here."

"Me neither," said Rarity, "What in the world is Applejack doing in a place like this?"

"We're about to find out," said Sunset Shimmer, "Look!"

They all directed their attention to the road and watched the truck pull into what looked like a rundown motel, except it looked like it was falling apart with some of the windows boarded up and the neon sign above it with no cover on it. To make themselves less conspicuous, Rarity pulled over on the side of the street that was adjacent to the establishment. The moment they saw Applejack get out of the truck and head towards the building, she shut off the engine of her car. They continued to watch as Applejack went into the main building to the motel, no doubt going to get a room key.

"Don't tell me she's staying in this dump!" said Rarity, cringing and shuttering at the very thought of what the insides looked like, "With the money that she freely throws around, you'd think she'd stay somewhere with more _class_, to say the least."

"Looks like she is," said Rainbow, "Well, we now know where she _stays_ when she's here."

"All that's left is finding out where she goes and what she does," said Sunset Shimmer.

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Fluttershy, her voice sounding like she was on the verge of crying, "I think we should just go and leave it at this."

"No way," said Rainbow Dash, "We're here now, so we may as well see what else she's hiding."

Before anyone could say anything else, they saw Applejack walk out of the main building and head to one of the rooms, opening the door and going inside. A short while later, they saw her exit the room and close the door, heading towards her truck again. However, instead of going into the driver's side, she opened the passenger's side and took out what looked like a brown paper bag and a brown overcoat. Then, she closed the door, put the overcoat on and began walking towards the sidewalk.

The second they saw her approaching, they all ducked down out of sight, slightly peeking out to see where she was heading. The cowgirl looked both ways, as if checking to see if anyone was around, before making her way down the road, completely oblivious to the fact that she was begin followed.

"What should we do now?" the cyan athlete whispered, "Follow her on foot or in the car?"

"If you think for one moment I am walking in this dreaded place on foot, you've got another thing coming," Rarity whispered back.

"Fine, but we'll have to wait until she's further away," Sunset whispered, "Otherwise, we'll catch her attention."

"Uh, guys, can I ask a question?" asked Pinkie.

"Sure, Pinkie, what is it?" Sunset answered.

"Why exactly are we whispering?"

The only sound they heard was Rainbow Dash face-palming herself.

A few minutes went by before they were convinced Applejack was out of earshot. Then, Rarity started the car again and slowly began to follow her, keeping her distance from her. Although they had to go even slower than before because Applejack was on foot, they were able to stay on the side of the road to let on-going traffic pass them with ease.

This went on for about 4 blocks before they saw the Stetson-wearing girl enter a building, making sure no one was following her before she entered. Coming to a complete stop, they saw that she had entered what looked like a clothing store.

"I wonder what she's doing here," said Sunset Shimmer.

"Maybe what she said was true," said Fluttershy with a nervous chuckle, "Maybe this is where she is getting her supplies she mentioned. Looks like she's telling the truth! Can we go home now?"

"Get real, Fluttershy," said Rainbow, "If she was just getting supplies, like she claims she's doing, she wouldn't book a room at a sleazy motel."

Just the mere mention of the complex sent chills down Rarity's spine, making her shutter in her seat.

"What should we do now?" asked Fluttershy.

"I'll go in and see what she's up to!" said Rainbow as she opened the door and got out.

"What? Are you crazy?" asked Rarity, "You stick out like a sore thumb!"

"Trust me. I know what I'm doing!"

A little skeptical, Sunset Shimmer said, "Alright, Rainbow. Just try to keep out of sight."

"Don't worry about it, "the tomboy said, "'Undercover' is my middle name!"

"Really?" asked Pinkie as she raised an eyebrow, "I thought your middle name was 'Jennifer'."

Rainbow only responded by giving her an annoyed look and slamming the door closed. Then, she quickly made her way into the store. As they sat and waited, Rarity looked at a few of the outfits that were in the window, silently judging them and comparing them to other outfits she had seen and made. Then, she looked at Sunset Shimmer, a small smile forming on her lips.

"You know," she said to her, "The job at the Boutique is still available. I could get you in, if you'd like."

Sunset gave her a worried look. "I told you that I'd think about it."

"What's there to think about? A job would be very good for you."

"I know," she answered with a sigh, "I just don't see myself working in a fancy place like that, that's all."

"If you insist," the fashionista said with a shrug, "Just thought I'd help you out, is all."

"I appreciate it," Sunset said, "I just need to think about it."

Some time had passed before they saw Applejack walk out of the store. She began walking down the road again, only this time, the brown bag that she was carrying looked fuller than before. Five minutes later, Rainbow quickly bolted out the door and into the car, letting out a small huff when she did.

"Well, what did you see?" asked Sunset.

"Looks like she just bought an outfit," said Rainbow, "I couldn't see what kind because I was trying to stay hidden, not to mention she hid it from sight. It was almost like she was embarrassed that she was buying it."

Sunset scratched the back of her red and orange-streaked hair, lost in thought.

"Well, the only thing to do now is keep following her," said Rarity as she started the car again. Soon, they were making their way down the road again, following Applejack to her unknown location.

She walked for about five blocks before she turned the corner and headed down the road for another three. After about twenty-five minutes of them silently following their friend, they finally saw Applejack head towards a building that was lit up with neon lights. There were two doors, one of which was guarded by a muscular man with a tight-fitting black t-shirt. They watched as Applejack headed towards the second door that was off to the side near some bushes that were placed.

As they watched, Rarity saw that there was a parking lot in front of the building, so she decided to park. After she shut off the engine, they all focused their attention to the name of the building that was eliminated in neon lights.

"'The Dark Side'," read Pinkie, who instantly smiled at the name, "I think I saw a movie with that name in it!"

"Is this a night club?" asked Sunset Shimmer.

"Looks like it to me," said Rainbow Dash.

"What would Applejack be doing here?" asked Rarity.

Fluttershy felt her heart beginning to race. "Maybe we should go," she said nervously, "It looks like she works here, so that's it; mystery solved! What do you say we leave it at that?"

Rarity was about to agree when she was silenced by the sound of one of the car doors opening.

"Sorry, girls, but I need to know what exactly she's doing here," said Rainbow as she got out.

Sunset opened her door and got out, the others following suit. "Maybe Fluttershy's right," she said, "She's probably just a waitress or something. There's no need to-"

"I don't buy it," Rainbow interrupted, "Why would she hide a job? Why would she travel so far away to work here? Why here of all places and why for just the weekend? I'm sorry Sunset Shimmer, but I need answers and I need them now!"

Not waiting for the others, Rainbow began marching her way to the front entrance. She had only taken a few steps before she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw that it was Rarity, accompanied by the others.

"You're not going in there without us," she said, "As much as I really don't want to."

"Um, guys?" asked Pinkie, "How are we gonna get passed the guard?"

"Leave that to me," said the fashionista as she flipped her hair back. They all followed her up to the front door, the guard standing there turning his head to face them as they approached.

"Uh-hem," said Rarity, "Excuse me, good sir. Is it possible for you to let a couple of girls like us into your club? You see, a friend of our works here and we just want to pay her a visit."

"Very well," he said with a gruff voice, "Just don't cause any trouble."

With that, he stepped aside to allow the five of them to enter. As they walked in, Rarity had a smug look on her face.

"All it takes is a little charm," she boasted.

"Yeah, not to burst your bubble or anything, but I don't think your 'charm' had anything to do with it," said Rainbow Dash.

"I agree," said Sunset, "I have a feeling that anyone was allowed in. Had we just walked passed, he probably wouldn't have said anything."

They all fell silent as they saw a corridor drifting off to the left. It wasn't all that long, maybe about a yard or two. At the end of the corridor was the entrance to the night club that branched off to the right. Silently, they all walked down the corridor, their eyes straining for the slightly dim lighting that engulfed the walkway.

Then, they reached the end of the corridor and came face-to-face with the night club. The moment they laid their eyes on their environment, all of them froze where they stood, eyes wide and hearts pounding.


	3. Chapter 3

They didn't have to investigate their surroundings for long to realize where they truly were; the extremely dim lights, the runway in the center of the establishment, the people sitting around it and at various tables in the place, the bar in the back to their left, the girls walking around in extremely risqué clothing, and the long pole that rested on the end of the runway made it all too clear.

"This isn't a _night_ club," Rarity said, "This is a _gentleman's _club!"

Pinkie Pie squinted her eyes and tilted her head back and forth. Then, she tapped a finger on her chin and said, "It looks more like a _strip_ club to me!"

Rainbow Dash would have face-palmed herself again but her forehead was starting to hurt from it, so rolled her eyes instead.

"What...? Why...?" Sunset Shimmer tried to ask. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't find the right words to come out. Rainbow Dash must've been reading her mind because she managed to ask, at least, _one_ of the many questions that floated in her mind.

"What the hell is Applejack doing _here_!?" she asked, an annoyed look on her face.

"Now, now, let's not jump to any conclusions here," said Rarity, trying her best to maintain her composure, "We should probably make sure we know what's going on before we do anything brash."

"Rarity's right," said Sunset, trying to put on a smile, "It'd be a better idea if we ask someone where she is so we can talk to-"

"Excuse me, can you please move?" an impatient man said from behind them.

They hadn't realized that they were standing in the entrance way all this time, blocking other people from getting in. Slowly, the five of them entered the strip club, all of them trying their best not to get separated in the dimly-lit room.

Suddenly, music started playing by what looked like a DJ's booth, the blue and white lights in the room shining down on the stage. Then, an announcer of some kind spoke in a microphone, announcing the next dancer to the stage. The instant they saw the girl enter, the five of them tried their best to look away.

"Can we please find Applejack and get out of here?" asked Rarity, blocking the corner of her eyes with her hand, "I don't want to see any of these horrid displays, thank you very much."

As all of them tried to look away from the strip show that was going on, Fluttershy let her curiosity get the upper hand, causing her to peek at the stage from the corner of her eyes. The moment she saw the girl on the stage beginning to peel her clothes off, she let out a small _eep_ as she covered her eyes again, her breathing starting to shallow.

"Well, where do we start looking?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Sunset Shimmer didn't have to look far for an idea to come to mind. Quickly, she walked over to the bar and grabbed the attention of one of the bar tenders that was busy getting drinks together.

"Excuse me!" she shouted against the music that was playing, "Can I ask you a quick question?"

The young girl behind the counter gave a patron his drink before answering, "Sure, but make it quick! We're very busy tonight!"

Clearing her throat, she asked, "We're looking for a friend of ours named Applejack! We were wondering if you know where she is!"

The bar tender thought about it for a moment, her eyes shifting back and forth in thought. Then, she leaned in and said, "There's no one here who goes by that name!"

"Surely you jest," intervened Rarity, "We saw her come in here, so she's gotta be here! Maybe if you know what she looks like..."

Rarity was interrupted by another patron who was becoming more inpatient by the second. The girl behind the counter said, "Sorry, girls, but there's no one here named 'Applejack'!"

With that, she quickly went back to work, leaving the group of friends with question marks over their heads. They all shot each other confused glances as they tried to assess the situation.

"Something's not right here!" said Rainbow Dash, "We saw her come in! Why would no one know who she is?"

Sunset Shimmer was about to add her two-cents when she realized that someone in their group was missing: Pinkie Pie. Quickly, she looked around to find where she had gone, only to find her approaching them from the other side of the room with a look of defeat.

"Where were you?" she asked.

"I went to ask if anyone had seen Applejack anywhere!" Pinkie said.

"Any luck?" asked Rainbow.

"Nopey-dopey. It's like they've never even heard of her!"

"It's possible that she goes by another name!" suggested Rarity with a shrug, "Maybe she changed her name to conceal her identity!"

They all let out a sigh of defeat as they scanned their surroundings as best as they could, trying to see if they could recognize her. Before they could investigate the surrounding area, a girl in extremely revealing clothing approached them. They all gave her a passing glance, smiling as she walked by. However, the nervous look on Sunset Shimmer's face was all the convincing the stripper needed to walk up to her.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, the exotic dancer gave her a sultry look and asked, "Hey, sweetheart. Are you having a good time?"

"Uh..." Sunset said, looking at the others with a confused look. She looked back to her and said with a shrug, "Maybe?"

"You look like you could use a little relaxation," she said, running her fingers in her red and yellow-streaked hair. "How about you and I go somewhere a little more _private_?"

Eyes in pinpoints and sweat forming on the back of her neck, she feigned the best smile she could muster before shaking her head.

Still giving her a playful smile, she asked, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," she managed to choke out.

The dancer shrugged at her response and said, "Suit yourself."

As she walked away, Sunset Shimmer remained frozen, her brain trying to wrap around what had just happened. Her heart started pounding in her chest as blood began to rush into her cheeks. Pinkie and Fluttershy were too stunned for words as Rainbow tried her best to conceal her laughter; fortunately, the darkness made it hard for them to see her. Rarity, on the other hand, looked appalled.

"That's disgusting!" shouted Rarity. "Have they no shame?"

"Yeah, right," Rainbow Dash said sarcastically. "Just look at where we are and ask if they have any shame!"

Finally able to get her mind on track, Sunset Shimmer rubbed her temples with her fingers. "Look, we're getting nowhere fast! We need to find Applejack and ask her what's going on!"

A loud cheering and applauding echoed in the room as the music began to lower. The announcer from before could be heard again as he announced the next dancer to the stage.

"It brings me great pleasure...and I _do_ mean 'pleasure'..." the announcer said.

"Can we please get out of here?" asked Fluttershy, "I really don't want to be here anymore!"

"...to announce the next dancer to the stage..."

Rainbow gave her a determined look. "No! Not until we find..."

"...Candy Apples!"

None of the girls bothered to turn around to see the show that was going on behind them. However, Fluttershy, who had let her curious eyes wander again, caught a quick glimpse at the girl who entered the stage. The second she saw who it was, her eyes went wide and she let out a gasp of horror. She backed up against an empty seat at the bar, cupping her hands over her mouth.

"What's wrong with you, Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy didn't respond with words. All she did was point at the stage, prompting the others to look. Reluctantly, they all looked at the dancer who had entered. When they did, all of them shared Fluttershy's sentiments by backing up to the bar in shock.

None of them could find the words to say as the girl entered the stage, wearing a red, white, and blue sheer top that covered only her upper chest and her shoulders and was tied in a knot in between her breasts. She wore a red skirt that was up to her nether region, and high heels that looked extremely difficult to walk in. However what caught their attention was the brown Stetson that sat atop her blonde hair. They didn't need to investigate any further to know that it was Applejack that was on the stage, confirming Rarity's statement about her changing her name.

As she slowly stepped onto the stage, the crowd went wild as the music shifted into a country-esque theme, fitting the mood of the dancer before them. As she began to dance, shaking her hips in time with the music, the others watched in horror, none of them mustering up the courage to speak. They continued watching as Applejack bent over to her audience, shaking her butt in front of them with a coy smile on her face.

The crowd began whistling as she stood up straight and continued dancing to the music, shaking her hips in a circular motion while making her way up to the pole at the end of the runway. She put one hand on it and began grinding her vaginal against it, licking the fingers on her other hand as she did.

As the music continued, she spun in a half circle and took a few steps away from the pole, keeping her back to her audience. She removed her top by untying the front and tossed it to the back of the runway. Then, she undid the zipper on her skirt and stretched her arms into the air. Shaking her hips back and forth, she let the skirt fall to her ankles. She stepped out of it with one foot and used the other to kick it to where her top was. Finally, she turned around and showed the audience what she was wearing underneath it. The moment they laid their eyes upon it, all five of them let out a gasp, covering their mouths with their hands.

Applejack was wearing a black bra and g-string combination. However, the strings of bra were extremely thin and exposed every part of her breasts except her nipples, which were covered by a small piece of fabric that was in the shape of a star. The g-string she wore looked like it was a thin piece of fabric that barely covered her pussy and completely exposed her ass; Apple Bloom's hair bow probably had more material on it than what she was wearing now.

The girls continued to watch in horror as Applejack did a split, her legs stretching apart and bringing her down to the ground. Putting her hands in front of her, she began to grind her pussy against the stage, her ass bouncing up and down. She turned her head to the side to look at her audience, offering them another coy smile as she licked her lips.

Then, she spun around and stood up, continuing to sway her hips to the beat of the music. She went over to the pole and grinded her pussy against it again. As the music continued, she matched her gyrations with the beat; the g-string looked like it was about to slip off to the side and expose her nether region. Furthermore, her breasts shook back and forth, the material barely able to keep herself covered.

Her hands still on the pole, Applejack spun around to the end of the stage. Once there, she bent over, her ass facing the audience. When she heard the reaction she wanted from the roaring crowd, she began to shake her ass back and forth, the audience whistling at the erotic display. To give them more of a tease, she turned her head to face them as she slapped her ass, offering a wink to all of them.

Straightening her posture, Applejack reached behind her, took one of the strings of her bra, and slowly began pulling on it until the knot holding it closed came out. After slipping it off of her shoulders, she whipped it down to her side and spun around to face the audience again. The girls found themselves holding their breaths in horror at the train wreck that was happening before them; they feared to look, but they couldn't turn away.

It should be noted that Applejack was not the bustiest girl in school, nor was she flat-chested; she was a good handful or two at least. Therefore, as she began to spin her hips in a circular motion while twirling her bra in the air like a lasso, her breasts had little to no trouble swaying back in forth, her nipples rock hard.

After a few moments, she threw her bra towards the rest of the discarded clothing, not stopping her dance. The crowd began whistling and howling as she leaned her back against the pole and began rubbing her ass against it, her hands fondling her breasts while running her fingers against her nipples, licking her lips as she swayed back and forth.

Lowering herself into a squatting position, she spread her legs open to expose her barely covered nether region. With one hand still playing with her tits, she began rubbing the outside of her g-string with her other hand, softly stroking where her pussy was. All the while, she had a look on her face that she was enjoying this as much as the audience was.

When a guy stood up, she got up and walked over to him and bent over, her ass going in front of his face. The girls watched as he took what looked like a dollar that was in his hands and put it in the string of her underwear, Applejack sending a kiss his way in response. Another individual stood up and Applejack did the same thing, allowing him to place his money in her g-string.

As she secured the money in place, Applejack walked to the middle of runway, putting her hands behind her head as she began pumping her crotch in the air. Then, she began lowering her hands down her body, rubbing her breasts and teasing her nipples again on the way down to her stomach. Finally, she took her thumbs and placed them underneath the strings of her underwear.

Time seemed to stand still as the girls watched Applejack beginning to lower her g-string, slowly making its way to her pussy. Sunset Shimmer, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie had the same look of shock on their faces, none of them mustering up the courage to even look at each other, let alone say anything. Fluttershy was also shocked, but instead of being frozen in fear, she had her hands cupped over her mouth the whole time. Tears streamed down her face as she began to hyperventilate, a really bad taste coming into her mouth. However, Rainbow Dash didn't share the same sentiments as her friends. She wasn't shocked or even upset about what she was seeing. Instead, she was angry, her eyebrows furrowing and her hands clenching the seat she was sitting on.

None of them could believe what was happening right now. Here was Applejack, one of their good friends that they've known for a while, dancing on a stage and exposing herself to complete strangers in one of the worst ways imaginable. Now, she was about to flash them her pussy and, judging by the look on her face, the coy smile and her tongue slowly making its way across her upper lip, she didn't seem to mind that she was doing it. In fact, if they didn't know better, they'd all go so far as to say that she was actually _enjoying_ what she was doing.

The crowd went wild as Applejack slowly continued lowering her g-string, her hips still rocking back and forth in time with the music. Still breathing heavily, Fluttershy began taking several steps forward, lightly pushing past the others. That seemed to knock them out of their trance as the four others watched the timid girl slowly make her way to the stage.

"Stop," she said softly. It was like she was trying to call out to her, though her voice wasn't heard by anyone but herself. With every step she took closer to the stage, she felt her stomach beginning to churn uncomfortably. However, she didn't let that stop her as she continued to make her way to the stage.

"Stop," Fluttershy said again, a little louder than before. She walked near a table where two young men were sitting and enjoying the show. However, when she was next to it, she had to stop walking. Clutching one hand against her stomach, she covered her mouth as the bad taste from before came back into her mouth.

With one last look at Applejack on the stage, Fluttershy's breathing began to intensify. Then, without any warning whatsoever, she turned her head to the side and regurgitated.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" shouted one of the men sitting at the table as he stood up to avoid getting hit by her vomit. Backing up, he bumped into another table, causing it to fall over, the empty bottles and glasses on it colliding with each other and shattering.

The commotion caused everyone to look at what was happening; even Applejack had stopped her dance to see what was going on. The DJ lowered the music and programmed the lights to shine on what was happening. Everyone watched as the young man began shouting at Fluttershy, making her back up towards the other girls.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" he shouted, pointing a finger at her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she repeated over and over again, tears running down the corners of her eyes.

"Leave her alone!" Rainbow Dash shot back as she stood between him and the frightened girl.

"Oh yeah?" he asked as he stepped closer to her, "What are you gonna do about it, bitch?"

"Call me that one more time and you'll find out, you fuckin' asshole!"

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity intervened, Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie Pie trying to calm them all down. "Watch your language! There's no need to stoop to _his _level of ignorance."

Then, everything froze to a halt as the five of them realized that everyone, including Applejack, was looking at their scuffle. They all looked at Applejack, who was just as terrified as they were. Her heart began to race as she looked at each of them, who were all looking back at her. Eyes as small as anything, she took her thumbs out of her g-string. Then, she used one hand to cover her pussy while using the other to quickly grab her Stetson to cover her exposed breasts.

"What the...?" she managed to choke out, even though no one heard her say it.

Giving Applejack one last look, Fluttershy began crying profusely as she pushed past everyone and ran out the main entrance, covering her eyes.

"Fluttershy!" Sunset Shimmer exclaimed as she began running after her, Pinkie Pie and Rarity not too far behind. Rainbow Dash began to follow them, purposely knocking into the guy who had insulted her moments before. However, she gave Applejack one last look of resentment before bolting out of the establishment to join the others.

Slowly, Applejack backed away from the stage, grabbed her clothes and made her way to the dressing room in the back. As quickly as she could, she took the g-string off and began putting on her casual clothes, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Candy, is everything alright?" a voice came behind her. She turned to see that it was the manager standing there with a worried look on his face.

"Sorry, but ah hafta leave," she said as she put on her shirt, "Ah'm really sorry. Ah'll make it up to ya, promise!"

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, ah'm alright. It's just...somethin's come up."

Letting out a small sigh, he took out a huge wad of bills, the revenue they had been making all night. When Applejack was finished placing all her belongings into her brown bag, she put on her brown overcoat and started to leave. However, the manager stopped her and handed her a large wad of twenty-dollar bills.

"That's mighty kind of ya," she said, "But ah don't deserve all this. Ah wasn't here long enough and..."

"Nonsense," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You're a good kid and I know you need this more than anyone else."

Applejack smiled as she wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. Then, she put the money in her bag and said, "Ah'll be back tomorrow."

"We'll be waiting," he said with a wink.

Then, she left the building, looking in all directions for her friends. No matter where she looked, she didn't seem to find any traces of them. Letting out a sigh of temporary relief, she began running back to the motel, her heart continuing to pound in her chest.

_Great, just great_, she thought to herself. _Now what am ah gonna do? How am ah gonna explain all this to them? How can ah make them understand?_

She shook her head to regain her focus. _Worry about that later. Right now, just focus on gettin' home!_

With that, she continued running down the road towards the motel, hoping against hope that she wouldn't run into any of her friends and praying the Fluttershy was alright.


End file.
